Don’t believe Google Maps blindly, you can end up driving on railway track

As a result of following Google maps, a Kia Seltos driver got stuck on railway tracks near the Ballygunge train station in West Bengal.

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Google Maps, in most cases, has helped millions of drivers to reach their destination with ease. However, every now and then you hear these weird standalone incidences of few Google Map followers ending up at unexpected places in search for their destinations.

A similar incident occurred recently when three friends returning from a birthday party at night in a Kia Seltos ended up driving the car for about 80 metres on railway tracks near the Ballygunge train station before getting stuck on the tracks.

Railway traffic was stopped for an hour from 10:45 PM to 11:45 PM by railway authorities until the car was cleared from the tracks. During their journey toward a friend's house for a drop off, three individuals, ages 18 to 19, were provided with a faulty GPS-enabled app showing the wrong route, leading them to the railroad tracks.

A police report was filed against the driver by Ballygune GRP as a result of the incident. The Railway Protection Force also filed a police report against the two passengers who were travelling in the car. They were later released by police after posting bail.

During the attempt to remove the vehicle from the tracks, two of the friends misbehaved with authorities. Also found in the vehicle was a can of beer by the police, although medical tests showed the drivers weren't drunk.

Numerous incidents have occurred in the past where users were led in the wrong direction by Google maps. In an incident according to Autoevolution, Google Maps once directed two young Russians to an abandoned path where their car started to malfunction. As a result of lack of cellular service and extreme cold temperatures, the driver of the vehicle eventually died while the passenger was found critically injured by the medical crew. Using Google Maps to get traffic information for local commutes or daily commutes is a great idea, but it should not be solely relied upon for long-distance travel.